Althouse: "Oh man, he was always cowboyed up."

June 9, 2009

"Oh man, he was always cowboyed up."

"We are all Natives around here and there he was with his Wrangler shirt and jeans. He really stuck out."

He = Neal Wanless, who just won a $232 million Powerball jackpot.

19 comments:

lohwoman said...: Maybe Neal could relate to singer-songwriter Roger Miller, who attended school in Oklahoma. "The school I went to had 37 students," he once said, "me and 36 Indians. One time we had a school dance and it rained for 36 days straight. During recess we used to play cowboy and Indians and things got pretty wild from my standpoint."; 6/9/09, 10:07 AM
rhhardin said...: I hope he doesn't spend any of it. He'll need it all for taxes.; 6/9/09, 10:08 AM
chickelit said...: I'll bet he starts lawyering up real soon.; 6/9/09, 10:09 AM
bearbee said...: Good for you cowboy. Stay a cowboy and don't let it go to your head.

I hope he doesn't spend any of it. He'll need it all for taxes.

$88.5 Mill after taxes. He also won $100 in the drawing.; 6/9/09, 10:25 AM
john said...: Neal -

Call me. We need to talk.; 6/9/09, 10:26 AM
Bissage said...: $232 million buys a lot of belt buckles.; 6/9/09, 10:36 AM
Anonymous said...: "Prue and his buddy Steve Plank said Wanless would help them with their homework, despite the differences."

Never miss an opportunity to fan the racial flames.; 6/9/09, 10:38 AM
1775OGG said...: Ann needs to re-visit this story in a week or so. Then, those sweet neighbors will say: "He always was a terrible person, distant, aloof, a poor student, hated anyone in town, besides he wouldn't lend me money!"; 6/9/09, 10:39 AM
Tibore said...: Oh, thank God! Thought this was going to be a Brokeback Mountain puddin' eatin' thread!; 6/9/09, 10:51 AM
William said...: Money is the universal antidote. Up to the age of sixty, money can make just about any problem go away or become effortless to bear....I remember reading about a lottery winner who was frequently found passed out drunk in his Cadillac in front of a strip club. It was written as though that was some kind of bad thing.; 6/9/09, 11:36 AM
Sean E said...: $88.5 Mill after taxes.

$232M = $88.5M after taxes? Can this possibly be accurate?

(Sorry, naive Canadian. Our taxes are pretty steep, but I don't think we have anywhere near a 62% marginal rate, at any income level. That's just appalling, if accurate.); 6/9/09, 12:38 PM
bearbee said...: $88.5 Mill after taxes.

He opted for a lump-sum payment which reduces the winnings + taxes.

I don't know how lump-sum payment depreciation is calculated.; 6/9/09, 1:21 PM
AllenS said...: If Neal decides to move on up to a richer tribe, may I suggest the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux. They own a casino, and if he still feels like gambling, well...; 6/9/09, 1:26 PM
MadisonMan said...: I think the lump sum payment was something like 60% of the $232M, so that makes the tax cut not so huge.; 6/9/09, 1:46 PM
Sean E said...: He opted for a lump-sum payment which reduces the winnings + taxes.

I think the lump sum payment was something like 60% of the $232M, so that makes the tax cut not so huge.

Thank you both. I had forgotten the publicized winnings of these things always tend to be grossly inflated in real-dollar terms.; 6/9/09, 2:21 PM
Synova said...: "Prue and his buddy Steve Plank said Wanless would help them with their homework, despite the differences.".

"Never miss an opportunity to fan the racial flames."

Yeah... I read that line and thought, huh? What did they expect him to do? Is it because he dressed "cowboy?" Quite a few people around here dress "cowboy" and some of them are Indians... boots, belt buckles and shirts with pearl snaps... old beat up cowboy hats... the whole shee-bang. The brand new Wal-Mart east of here actually built hitching posts next to the parking lot.; 6/9/09, 2:34 PM
Synova said...: I forgot to complete my thought...

... is it that the writer of the article thinks that dressing "cowboy" is strange or unusual?; 6/9/09, 2:36 PM
a psychiatrist who learned from veterans said...: I have heard the phrase 'cowboy up' in the sense of being stoic and courageous, loyal. This might be, for instance, in reflection on the cattle drives which might take place through harsh weather with limited supplies with animals that might not be inclined to cooperate. In relation to the recent D-Day commemoration, at Omaha Beach a boy from Texas might have thought or told his Virginia associates it was time 'to cowboy up' at the same time he was thinking 'What is Dinah's little boy doing here?' The lottery winner's comments about helping his community reflect the attitude of 'cowboy(ing) up.'; 6/9/09, 3:46 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: Like one of the commentors in the article I also hope that he doesn't get "suckered". But sad to say, he probably will.

If you should win the lottery.

1. Hire a reputable attorney to handle your business and field calls from people who want to extort money from
you.....including all your long lost relatives. Probably also set up trust(s) for now in case you die. This is the only REAL decision you should be making at this time.

2. Hire a CFP/planner/investment advisor and have that person sit on your money until you decide what to do. Park it for now. Don't worry about investing or making gifts. You didn't have it before pretend you don't have it for now.

3. Have your CPA pay all your bills and go through your mail to throw away all the junk mail solicitations.

4. Hire a security firm to keep people from your house and place of work. With any luck they can pop a few papparazi in the nose for tresspassing.

5. Go on a secluded vacation and get the heck out of Dodge. Go where people can't get at you and stay away for at least a month or two. Invite only your closest family or friends and stress that they keep your location quiet....or else.

6. Don't buy anything big or make any big decisions for at least 6 months. Just pay your bills and pay off your debts...after all you didn't have the money before...take your time.

When the dust settles and you are over your euphoria, THEN start making decisions.

I had a friend years ago who won a small lottery (about 5 million) and this was the way she stayed grounded and didn't lose her winnings to the land sharks or to insane purchases.; 6/9/09, 6:40 PM